There's No Such Thing As 'Old Age' Anymore

News & Events

There's No Such Thing As 'Old Age' Anymore

AgeLab Director Joseph Coughlin has penned an op-ed in Time on the need to rethink our ideas of old age, corresponding with the release of his new book, The Longevity Economy. He writes:

"Today, ask anyone over the age of 60 or so if she wants to sit in a rocking chair for the rest of her life — on average, a far longer life than at the turn of the 20th century — and she’ll laugh you out of the room. And yet, outmoded norms concerning the capabilities and goals of older people persist. They remain at the core of misguided products, policies, workplace expectations — you name it. As the demographic swell of the Baby Boomers begins to make its demands heard, however, that will change."

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